The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a projectile possessing a substantially tubular-shaped projectile body.
Generally speaking, the projectile of the present development is of the type wherein at the rear end of the tubular-shaped projectile body there is provided at the inside thereof a substantially cone-shaped inner wall or portion which widens or outwardly tapers towards the rear. Additionally, there is provided for the projectile body a sabot base portion upon which bears, during firing of the projectile, the projectile body, the sabot base portion detaching upon departure of the projectile out of the firing weapon. The sabot base portion possesses a substantially cone-shaped portion which likewise enlarges or outwardly tapers towards the rear, this cone-shaped portion protruding from the rear of the projectile body into the cone-shaped portion of such projectile body.
According to a prior art tubular-shaped projectile of this type, for instance as disclosed in German Patent Publication No. 2,454,584, the projectile body is provided at its rear end with a substantially ring-shaped or annular shoulder upon which bears the sabot base portion.
On the one hand, this shoulder is afflicted with the drawback that if it is narrowly constructed then, during firing of the projectile, it is exposed to a large surface compression and, on the other hand, if such soulder has a wide construction then it possesses the drawback that it is unfavourable from the standpoint of aerodynamical considerations.
On the other hand, the cone-shaped portion of the sabot base portion should not bear upon the cone-shaped inner wall of the projectile body, since then the projectile body and the sabot base portion tend to wedge with one another and there is no longer ensured for the proper detachment of the base portion from the projectile body after exit of the projectile out of the firing weapon, since the slope of the conical-shaped inner wall of the projectile body is configured to be self-locking for aerodynamical reasons.
Other constructions of projectiles are disclosed for instance in French Pat. No. 2,365,098, filed Sept. 14, 1977, French Pat. No. 398,091, published May 26, 1909, U. S. Pat. No. 2,386,054, granted Oct. 2, 1945 and British Pat. No. 3921, granted Nov. 23, 1905.